Preview — The Proposal
by Jasmine Guillory

The Proposal

The author of The Wedding Date serves up a novel about what happens when a public proposal doesn't turn into a happy ending, thanks to a woman who knows exactly how to make one on her own...

When someone asks you to spend your life with him, it shouldn't come as a surprise--or happen in front of 45,000 people.

When freelance writer Nikole Paterson goes to a Dodgers game withThe author of The Wedding Date serves up a novel about what happens when a public proposal doesn't turn into a happy ending, thanks to a woman who knows exactly how to make one on her own...

When someone asks you to spend your life with him, it shouldn't come as a surprise--or happen in front of 45,000 people.

When freelance writer Nikole Paterson goes to a Dodgers game with her actor boyfriend, his man bun, and his bros, the last thing she expects is a scoreboard proposal. Saying no isn't the hard part--they've only been dating for five months, and he can't even spell her name correctly. The hard part is having to face a stadium full of disappointed fans...

At the game with his sister, Carlos Ibarra comes to Nik's rescue and rushes her away from a camera crew. He's even there for her when the video goes viral and Nik's social media blows up--in a bad way. Nik knows that in the wilds of LA, a handsome doctor like Carlos can't be looking for anything serious, so she embarks on an epic rebound with him, filled with food, fun, and fantastic sex. But when their glorified hookups start breaking the rules, one of them has to be smart enough to put on the brakes......more

Community Reviews

I really enjoyed Jasmine Guillory's debut novel, The Wedding Date, so I was really excited to get my hands on The Proposal which is an even stronger, more charming novel. Nik is at a Dodgers game with her boyfriend of five months, when he proposes to her on the Jumbotron, but it's all bad. He spells her name wrong. She turns him down. The thousands of people watching are judging her, and then the handsome doctor, Carlos Ibarra and his sister Angela, swoop in to save the day, hustling Nik out ofI really enjoyed Jasmine Guillory's debut novel, The Wedding Date, so I was really excited to get my hands on The Proposal which is an even stronger, more charming novel. Nik is at a Dodgers game with her boyfriend of five months, when he proposes to her on the Jumbotron, but it's all bad. He spells her name wrong. She turns him down. The thousands of people watching are judging her, and then the handsome doctor, Carlos Ibarra and his sister Angela, swoop in to save the day, hustling Nik out of the stadium and into a bar where her friends are waiting to help her lick her wounds. This is such a warm, engaging romance novel, where we see Nik and Carlos start as friends and then become more than friends, and try to figure out if they can love and allow themselves to be loved, while dealing with all manner of baggage. There is so much to relate to and throughout the novel, there is a sharp feminist edge. Loved this one, and you will too....more

The Proposal introduces readers to Nik, a black woman jilted after turning down a jumbotron proposal from her casual boyfriend of only five months. Personally, I found the entire scenario involving “man bun” to be quite ludicrous, only serving to highlight the author’s weak character and storyline development. But hey, some readers will get a kick out of it, I’m sure.

Lucky for Nic, her Latino knight in shining armor is sitting only a few rows away with his sister, watching the madness unfold. Putting his spontaneous ruse into action, Carlos leads Nik away from the cameras and prying eyes of Dodger stadium. What ensues is a light and predictable journey to love for the doctor and the entertainment writer.

The one and only thing this storyline has going for it, in my opinion, is the racial diversity. To be frank, at times it comes across more like a Diversity for Dummies guide than anything else though. Instead of using a fun or clever way to mention the color of her characters when she introduces them, Jasmine Guillory resorts to blunt phrases like, “Carlos didn’t tell me you were black.” Let me tell you, seven such phrases in a five-page span, felt more like the author was trying to meet some type of diversity quota than anything else. There’s also the assumption the author makes that we’re all ignorant when it comes to tacos. Was that Jasmine Guillory's attempt at introducing her readers to Latino culture? She does know tacos exist outside of L.A., and that people of all colors enjoy them on the regular, right? If my husband had his way, it would be #tacotuesday in my house every night. I found her approach and style to be quite—for lack of a better word—basic.

Which brings me to my next point, the writing. No offense to the author—kudos for writing two books and all that—her style just isn’t my cup of tea. Within the first few chapters, the lack of distinct voices between the characters became apparent, and was something I struggled to get past for the remainder of the novel. Most obvious being Carlos. I hope this doesn’t come off as sexist as I think it might—that’s not my intention—but there were too many phrases and mannerisms that felt unnatural being voiced from a man. Or, said another way, you could easily swap any one character’s words for another, regardless of sex. Without the dialogue tags, good luck figuring out who said what or who’s who. Add in the juvenile interactions (that make-out sesh in the car made me cringe), numerous clichés packaged as female empowerment, repetition disguised as concern, the overuse of exclamation points and the incredibly awkward love scenes, and I had no choice but to resort to skimming.

If I had to recommend this book to anyone, it would be the newbies—those looking to dip their toe in a contemporary romance for the first time—or readers who know what they’re in for (if you’ve read The Wedding Date, which I have not, nor will I). My guess would be, readers who frequent this genre with any consistency have already read this story many times before; hopefully a much better version.

*Thank you to Berkley for providing a review copy in exchange for an honest review....more

JenI actually chose this as my BOTM pick. After some heavy reads I wanted something a little lighter. I couldn’t get past the second chapter for all theI actually chose this as my BOTM pick. After some heavy reads I wanted something a little lighter. I couldn’t get past the second chapter for all the reasons you mentioned. Loved the diversity, writing style didn’t vibe with me. Had to look up reviews to see whether it was worth investing some more time. Don’t think I will. Thanks....more
Nov 13, 2018 06:59AM

MelissaJen wrote: "I actually chose this as my BOTM pick. After some heavy reads I wanted something a little lighter. I couldn’t get past the second chapterJen wrote: "I actually chose this as my BOTM pick. After some heavy reads I wanted something a little lighter. I couldn’t get past the second chapter for all the reasons you mentioned. Loved the diversity, wri..."

Sorry to hear the writing style didn't work for you either, Jen. JG's work seems to be hit or miss with readers. If you're still on the hunt for something light and fun, I recommend checking out Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating, if you haven't already. It's quirky, fun and CL's writing is on-point....more
Nov 16, 2018 09:22AM

This was such a delight to read! I adored the diversity, the humor, and the portrayal of some really relevant, yet tough topics. These characters were all brand new to me, but I’m really excited to go back to The Wedding Date and see how we meet a certain someone initially there. Definitely recommended!

I loved The Wedding Date earlier this year, and when I found out that this was going to star one of the side characters I knew I couldn’t resist putting in an ARC request. This was a joy to read, from the first page to the last. Both of Jasmine’s books have been so intelligently, beautifully, and masterfully crafted.

The Proposal is an ownvoices novel that follows a woman whARC provided by Berkley in exchange for an honest review.

“Deciding to spend your life together shouldn’t be a surprise”

I loved The Wedding Date earlier this year, and when I found out that this was going to star one of the side characters I knew I couldn’t resist putting in an ARC request. This was a joy to read, from the first page to the last. Both of Jasmine’s books have been so intelligently, beautifully, and masterfully crafted.

The Proposal is an ownvoices novel that follows a woman who is completely blindsided by a marriage proposal at Dodger Stadium. Yet, before the camera crews come in to make a terrible situation even worse, she is saved by a stranger in the stands, and his sister.

➽ Nikole Paterson - Black, freelance journalist, and the woman who just got surprise proposed to after only five months of dating her partner.

➽ Carlos Ibarra - Latino, pediatrician, the stranger in the stands that we already were introduced to in The Wedding Date.

And we get to see these two build a friendship, and maybe something more, after everything went down at Dodger Stadium. Neither one of them are at a point in their life where they are willing to start something new, but they have each other’s backs and prove that they are there for one another.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Nik and Carlos with my whole heart, but Nik’s friends almost stole the show for me in this novel. Dana is an actress, black, and a lesbian, and has the freakin’ cutest f/f side romance ever. Like, please, I need a full-length novel right this second. And Courtney is a cupcake shop owner, Asian, and plus sized. And I think I had a smile from ear-to-ear every time she was on the page. Seriously, Nik, Dana, and Courtney are the definition of friendship goals and it was a joy to read.

But probably my favorite thing in this book were the seamlessly woven important themes. There was also such a subtle, yet loud, message about how easy it is to not realize you are in an emotionally abusive relationship. And sometimes you don’t start to realize until you are completely secluded from your friends and family. Yet, it also shows that there always can be ways out, even if you have to wait a while, and that it is never too late once you realize when someone is being abusive.

There was also such a beautiful discussion about how important it is to reclaim your safety after you have been violated or felt that it was threatened. Throughout this story, we see Nik take those steps, and it just meant a lot to me, personally. I also loved how she had friends helping along the way.

The reason I did end up giving this four stars, and not five, was because I felt like Carlos acted a little questionably at the end. Trust me, it pains me to say, because I do love him so much. Yet, with the way he and Nik met, you would think that he would understand how she would react to a (quicker) repeat. I’m trying to be vague, but his actions just left me side-eyeing a little at the end, and just dampened my enjoyment overall.

Yet, I still loved this book, and I think Jasmine Guillory is such an impressive author. I can’t wait to read any and everything she writes. The romance world just needs more books like The Proposal and The Wedding Date! I completely recommend this one!

Take me out to the ball game. Take me out to the crowd. Buy me some peanuts and propose to me???

Man bun... doesn’t know how to spell your name... proposes at a Dodgers game... 3 STRIKES YOUR OUT! The opening scene to this book was epic, something I’ve always thought every time I’ve watched one of those scoreboard proposals.... what happens if the girl says, “ KNOW“? Well this book shows you exactly what happens to Nik after the very public proposal.... and can I just say, if this were to happen Take me out to the ball game. Take me out to the crowd. Buy me some peanuts and propose to me???

Man bun... doesn’t know how to spell your name... proposes at a Dodgers game... 3 STRIKES YOUR OUT! The opening scene to this book was epic, something I’ve always thought every time I’ve watched one of those scoreboard proposals.... what happens if the girl says, “ KNOW“? Well this book shows you exactly what happens to Nik after the very public proposal.... and can I just say, if this were to happen to any of us I would certainly hope we’d all have a Carlos in the stands to come to our rescue!

A sweet, fun, love story, about two people determined not to fall in love... so, after Carlos and his sister rescue Nik they head to a bar and meet up with Nik’s Besties.... I have to say the relationship between these three girls was really the highlight of the story, it was kind of “ Sex in the City“ on the West Coast... I loved how there for one another they were, how supportive, how non-judgemental, and I loved how bourbon and cupcakes cured everything.... Looove strong female friendships in books!

The book perhaps was predictable, but it is a romance, there is generally only one satisfying outcome... for me what makes or breaks a romance is the characters and the chemistry.... this book was filled with wonderful characters including all the secondary characters.... both Nik and Carlos had wonderful friends, and Carlos had an amazing family.... also loved all the food talk, can’t get enough cupcakes, enchiladas, tacos, etc. etc. etc. where this book fell a little short for me was in the chemistry I didn’t always buy into the chemistry between Nik and Carlos... but what I did believe was, they had a very strong connection and friendship, and truth be told that is what will get this fictional couple through the years! My other little niggle was the Los Angeles stereotyping, I grew up in the LA area and we all ate carbs especially Pizza! Just saying😉

Recommend when you are in the mood for a fun Romance filled with fabulous characters!💕

I fell in love with Jasmine Guillory’s fresh and charming debut novel, The Wedding Date, so when I saw she had a new book coming out, I knew I had to read it. This author is not a one-hit wonder. I loved The Proposal just as much as at The Wedding Date. Carlos is an amazing man and I want to be besties with Nik and her girls!

Nik is at a Dodger’s game with her casual boyfriend, Fisher. The very last thing she is expecting at this game is a proposal. I mean, who proposes to someone the4 stars!!!

I fell in love with Jasmine Guillory’s fresh and charming debut novel, The Wedding Date, so when I saw she had a new book coming out, I knew I had to read it. This author is not a one-hit wonder. I loved The Proposal just as much as at The Wedding Date. Carlos is an amazing man and I want to be besties with Nik and her girls!

Nik is at a Dodger’s game with her casual boyfriend, Fisher. The very last thing she is expecting at this game is a proposal. I mean, who proposes to someone they’ve been dating for 5 months? And someone they’re not even serious about? Nik is befuddled and of course says no. Fisher storms out and it puts Nik in a position. Thankfully, Carlos and his sister, Angela help Nik out and get her out of there.

Carlos likes Nik right away. There is something about her that draws him to her. Neither one of them are looking for a relationship, but they form this friendship, and that friendship turns into sex. As long as it’s just friends with benefits things will be fine. Nik can’t do a relationship now, and Carlos has too many family things on his plate. But when someone catches the feelings- things get a little tricky.

If you’ve read The Wedding Date, you know Carlos is best friends with Drew. It was nice to get their little cameo in this book. I hope this series of stand-alones continues. I would love to get a book for either one of Jasmine’s friends. I loved both Dana and Courtney!

Carlos was by far my favorite character in this book. He was such a stand-up guy. He wasn’t independent by a strong and independent woman. I love how devoted he was to his family, how he truly cares for people, and he cooks. Don’t we all want a man to cook for us? I just adored him! Nik was great, too. She has a big heart and is a great friend/woman.

If you are a fan of friends to lovers books, The Proposal is one you need to check out. It’s sweet, heartwarming, steamy, and made me laugh out loud several times. I enjoyed this one lots!...more

This book's saving grace was its superb representation: a black main character, latino love interest, black lesbian side character, and fat Korean side character.

Otherwise, I wished I could love this book, but it just wasn't at all what I was hoping it to be. I'm mainly frustrated with this book because it wasn't pitched at ALL as a sequel or companion to Jasmine's first book, but literally half the book involves the two characters from her debut. I was really disappointed that I got 50% of theThis book's saving grace was its superb representation: a black main character, latino love interest, black lesbian side character, and fat Korean side character.

Otherwise, I wished I could love this book, but it just wasn't at all what I was hoping it to be. I'm mainly frustrated with this book because it wasn't pitched at ALL as a sequel or companion to Jasmine's first book, but literally half the book involves the two characters from her debut. I was really disappointed that I got 50% of the way into this before realizing that. It really should be marketed better as a companion novel, because I feel like I lost out on half of the storyline.

My other major issue with this book is that the writing is just so basic. From clichés to a remarkable lack of originality in descriptions, I was just left wanting more with every page. The dialogue is corny a lot of the time, and the inner monologue alongside it felt very immature and stunted. Not just as a reader, but from an editorial standpoint, I think the writing needed tweaking (ie. the characters CONSTANTLY laugh at what the other says to the point where it's every other line; the speaker tags should be more varied.)

Also, most of the sex scenes in this book are skipped over, and the two that exist are so short and bland. I was expecting a lot more from a book marketed as romance.

I really wanted to read Jasmine's first book, but after those characters appeared in this book, it would be too weird to go back in time and see them when they're not together. If you liked Jasmine's first book then you'll probably enjoy this, but I'm just super let down that it was a sequel I didn't know about, and I wasn't a fan of the writing style....more

Nikole is dating an actor, and they are on a date like any other with his buddies tagging along, except this time they are a Dodgers game. In front of a stadium filled with cheering fans, he proposes after only five months together.

And Nikole wants and needs to say no. In front of everyone.

Thank goodness for Carlos Ibarra who whisks her away from the cameras and supports her when she takes a few hits on social media . Carlos becomes Nik’s “just for fun” reb3.5 fun stars to The Proposal! ⚾️ ⚾️ ⚾️.5

Nikole is dating an actor, and they are on a date like any other with his buddies tagging along, except this time they are a Dodgers game. In front of a stadium filled with cheering fans, he proposes after only five months together.

And Nikole wants and needs to say no. In front of everyone.

Thank goodness for Carlos Ibarra who whisks her away from the cameras and supports her when she takes a few hits on social media . Carlos becomes Nik’s “just for fun” rebound relationship, but will they ever become more?

The Proposal is not one of my typical reads, but I read it at just the right time. I needed a feel-good, engaging, fun read, and this was most definitely it. Jasmine Guillory has an easy writing style, and I enjoyed Nikole’s story. One of the best parts is the cast of characters are diverse. We need more diverse (in every sense!) reads! Now I need to read The Wedding Date to see where these characters make cameos!

Thanks to Berkley for the complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

'The Proposal' was soooo much fun to read!As soon as I began reading thew first few pages, I was enjoying the hell out of it.As per the title, it starts off with a proposal. A disastrous proposal at that. The type where it has not been thought through or even spoken about. Why do people even do this?! And they're alleged grown ups as well.

Luckily, our black main character, Nik (which her casual boyfriend spells as Nic when he proposed. Stupid.) is rescued by Carlos, who is Latino and who becomes'The Proposal' was soooo much fun to read!As soon as I began reading thew first few pages, I was enjoying the hell out of it.As per the title, it starts off with a proposal. A disastrous proposal at that. The type where it has not been thought through or even spoken about. Why do people even do this?! And they're alleged grown ups as well.

Luckily, our black main character, Nik (which her casual boyfriend spells as Nic when he proposed. Stupid.) is rescued by Carlos, who is Latino and who becomes her love interest and his sister. The story then unfolds from there.

We follow Nik and Carlos on their own individual journey's as they establish a pretty solid friendship. Aside from our two main characters who I loved, I adored the side characters were pretty phenomenal. (I need a book on them please!). Nik and her friends are actual friendship goals. Their banter, understanding and support of another was so heartwarming. Similarly, I loved Carlos' family. They were such a close-knit family, it was really nice to read and follow them on their journey's as well.

Towards the end, however, the story got sort of ridiculous and was rushed, imo. I don't know why author's always feel the need to add in some sort of mishap in a relationship to keep us on our toes. It doesn't. It just pisses us off. Depending on what the actual mishap is and how it is handled, of course. But this one was just... anticlimactic.

Otherwise, it made me downright happy and giddy. The diversity was awesome and I'll definitely will be picking up more of Jasmine Guillory's upcoming releases.

I received this book for free from the publisher (Berkley Books) in exchange for an honest review.

Please note that I have not read The Wedding Date, so all the characters in this book were brand new to me. I also cannot speak to how this book compares with that book.

It took me forever to read this book because I just started law school, but this was such a fun romance!

First off, I loved the diversity! The main character is black. One of her friends is a plus sized Korean American. The other iI received this book for free from the publisher (Berkley Books) in exchange for an honest review.

Please note that I have not read The Wedding Date, so all the characters in this book were brand new to me. I also cannot speak to how this book compares with that book.

It took me forever to read this book because I just started law school, but this was such a fun romance!

First off, I loved the diversity! The main character is black. One of her friends is a plus sized Korean American. The other is a black lesbian. The love interest is Latino. It was just so refreshing to see and read about, especially since the book takes place in Los Angeles which is so diverse.

The premise of being proposed to at a baseball game (if only it wasn’t a Dodgers game- Go Giants!) and saying no was so creative and fun. I could picture this being turned into a great rom-com movie.

I also loved the overall vibe of the book. It felt very LA. Like when I was reading it, I could totally tell that it was LA and I felt like I was there with the characters.

The romance was really good as well. Nik and Carlos made a great couple. I loved their interactions, especially the ones with Carlos’s family. His family is the best.

The ending for me fell a little flat which is why I gave this 4 stars. It ended quickly and I wished that it would have been fleshed out more.

This was was a lot of fun! The writing left some things to be desired, but the Los Angeles setting and the characters (Carlos 😍🤤) made up for that and I'm not mad about it. I definitely enjoyed this one A LOT more than the Wedding Date and I recommend checking this one out when it publishes next month!

I received an advance copy of this from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Sweet, sizzling, and modern—The Proposal is a sure-fire hit in the women’s fiction and romance worlds this year! It starts with a meet-cute, as many good love stories do. Only, is it still a meet-cute if our protagonist meets her beau by being horrifyingly and publicly embarrassed by her current love interest??? More like a meet-nightmare! From the opening chapter, you will want to know more about Nik and what happens to her after the nightmare of all nightmare dates!

About the Book

Writer and femSweet, sizzling, and modern—The Proposal is a sure-fire hit in the women’s fiction and romance worlds this year! It starts with a meet-cute, as many good love stories do. Only, is it still a meet-cute if our protagonist meets her beau by being horrifyingly and publicly embarrassed by her current love interest??? More like a meet-nightmare! From the opening chapter, you will want to know more about Nik and what happens to her after the nightmare of all nightmare dates!

About the Book

Writer and feminist Nik Paterson is at a Dodgers game with her actor boyfriend Fisher and some of his friends. Nik knows Fisher is not the one (he has a man bun and doesn’t eat carbs for goodness sake), but the physical chemistry is fantastic and she isn’t in danger of getting emotionally attached.

So no one is more surprised than Nik when she looks up from her phone to find herself broadcast on the jumbo screen in the stadium and Fisher down on one knee proposing. He can’t be serious, Nik thinks to herself. But he is. And when Nik tries to subtly tell him it won’t happen, he storms off with his friends.

Finding herself in the middle of the public eye, with tens of thousands of fans staring and a camera crew in her face, Nik doesn’t know how to escape. Until sexy doctor Carlos from a few rows back rushes in to rescue her.

What unfolds is a public humiliation that Nik is unprepared for, and an unlikely ally. Over some fun, casual non-dates and some steamy nights, Nik and Carlos are on the same page about keeping this at a friend-level only. But what happens when one of them starts to catch real feelings?

Reflection

This book is 100% pure fun and delight to read! I am on my branching out tour, and romance is a genre I steer clear of normally. I always think of it as being ridiculous-sappy or erotica, with little room in between. But this book proved this skeptic WRONG! The Proposal is the romantic comedy of the 2018 book world, and I absolutely loved it! It was packed with humor, sizzling chemistry, and enough “awwwww” moments to keep this reader hooked until the last page!

Nik is a truly fantastic character. I loved how she is tough but a bit vulnerable, and fiercely loyal. Nik is not a people pleaser—she is very frank and honest. But years of bad dating experiences may have built some walls around her, and she isn’t as open as she should be to love. Nik is also fiercely loyal. One aspect of this book that I adored was the friendship between Nik, Courtney, and Dana. Their friendship made me so happy, and I loved the way Guillory wrote their interactions. Courtney and Dana are the type of friends who will key the car of a guy who wronged you, read text messages you are too afraid to open, and push you towards something that will make you happy.

And then we have Carlos, who has such a sweet relationship with his family. All of the vulnerable moments he has with Nik just melted my heart. What a guy! I think many readers will find themselves shouting out while reading this saying “can’t you two see you are in love???” But that would have made for a much shorter book, so we are lucky they are so out of touch with their own hearts.

A truly loveable story that has made many must-read lists in the women’s world this fall. And I must say those are well-deserved! Thank you to the team at Berkley for my copy to review.I read this with some book besties!!! We had an absolutely blast! ...more

(Edit:Apparently the release date has changed from September 4, 2018 to October 30, 2018. Interesting.)

Even though this book features a couple characters from The Wedding Date, it can easily be read as a stand-alone. This is not a sequel; it is a self-contained romance story between an independent, confident journalist, and an independent, confident doctor. Diversity is extremely well represented. What I liked about this:

(Edit:Apparently the release date has changed from September 4, 2018 to October 30, 2018. Interesting.)

Even though this book features a couple characters from The Wedding Date, it can easily be read as a stand-alone. This is not a sequel; it is a self-contained romance story between an independent, confident journalist, and an independent, confident doctor. Diversity is extremely well represented. What I liked about this:

The heroine drinks alcohol and eats pizza and cupcakes. She doesn't berate herself for indulging, which you see a lot in "chick-lit" romance. This is a light, charming romance with little drama. If you enjoy contemporary romances with few complications and a hero that is not an alpha, you should enjoy this.

I would say it's PG-13. The sex scenes are fade to black or more hinted at than detailed. Naked breasts are about as far as the details get from what I recall. I'm not a huge contemporary romance fan, but I think this author's books are solid. I am especially impressed with how she handles her heroines and diversity....more

The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory is a sweet, charming, and fun romantic novel.

This was my first read by this author and definitely won't be my last! This was a very cute plot.... Nik had her boyfriend propose to her at a baseball game in front of everyone... and let's not forget to add that she turns him down in front of the entire world. Talk about embarrassment!!! This adds the perfect scene for an entertaining romance with a hint of sassy spice :).

What I enjoyed about this book was the diverThe Proposal by Jasmine Guillory is a sweet, charming, and fun romantic novel.

This was my first read by this author and definitely won't be my last! This was a very cute plot.... Nik had her boyfriend propose to her at a baseball game in front of everyone... and let's not forget to add that she turns him down in front of the entire world. Talk about embarrassment!!! This adds the perfect scene for an entertaining romance with a hint of sassy spice :).

What I enjoyed about this book was the diversity in characters. I hate seeing novels with the typical cookie cutter couples. But, at times I did feel it was a bit over the top with diversity? If that makes sense? I think the author could have pulled it back a little bit.

All the characters were fun.. I especially loved Courtney. I thought she was hilarious.

This is a romance novel that isn't over the top.. or too graphic. So for my newly fans of romance this would be perfect for you!

Only minor issue I had was it was a tad bit predictable. This was a fun and super easy read.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Berkley publishing for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I had loved Carlos in The Wedding Date and was thrilled to see that he was getting his own story, so when I got The invite to read this one, I couldn’t wait to get to it.

I love love loved Nik. She’s sarcastic and witty and smart af. Her friends Dana and Courtney were fun and I adored the scenes with the three of them together. Of course I was familiar with Carlos and he didn’t disappoint. He’s supportive and a complete marshmallow. I was so happy to see Alexa and Drew and I’m 1000% here for morI had loved Carlos in The Wedding Date and was thrilled to see that he was getting his own story, so when I got The invite to read this one, I couldn’t wait to get to it.

I love love loved Nik. She’s sarcastic and witty and smart af. Her friends Dana and Courtney were fun and I adored the scenes with the three of them together. Of course I was familiar with Carlos and he didn’t disappoint. He’s supportive and a complete marshmallow. I was so happy to see Alexa and Drew and I’m 1000% here for more scenes of all four of them.

Plot wise, it was, in a word, comfortable, and I mean that in a good way. Nik and Carlos build a relationship out of friendship first and it works. It’s absolutely adorable and when the inevitable conflict happens, I was crushed. Thankfully, it didn’t last long and I loved the grand gesture.

Overall, I loved this story more than the first one. It’s filled with women supporting women, has a cast of diverse characters, and loads of body positivity. My only complaint is that I wanted more at the end.

**Huge thanks to Berkley Books for providing the arc free of charge** ...more

This was pretty disappointing. I completely agree with Whitney's review The only thing I really loved about this book was the diverse cast of characters. The female main character is a POC, there's a latino male love interest, and a korean side character, but that is all this book really has going for it.

The writing is terrible, it reads like a bad fanfiction. There are so many cliches in this story and both of the characters were annoying me. Even their inner thoughts were immature and read morThis was pretty disappointing. I completely agree with Whitney's review The only thing I really loved about this book was the diverse cast of characters. The female main character is a POC, there's a latino male love interest, and a korean side character, but that is all this book really has going for it.

The writing is terrible, it reads like a bad fanfiction. There are so many cliches in this story and both of the characters were annoying me. Even their inner thoughts were immature and read more like thirteen-year-olds than adults. I also don't like when romances are written in third person, it makes me feel so disconnected from what's happening. I feel like all the characters in this book are so dramatic and over-the-top and there were just too many cringe-y moments for me to enjoy this.

I really wanted to like this, but this romance was so cheesy and forgettable. I need something more when I need a romance....more

The Proposal features two likable lead characters that meet under incredibly awkward but memorable circumstances. This new-found acquaintanceship leads to more opportunities to connect until a no-strings-attached romance blooms. Each have past and present circumstances that make this type of non-relationship ideal, and although the ending may be predictable, this romance trope is a winner for a reason: the journey to the last page is typically filled with plenty of sexy fun.

The Proposal hits theThe Proposal features two likable lead characters that meet under incredibly awkward but memorable circumstances. This new-found acquaintanceship leads to more opportunities to connect until a no-strings-attached romance blooms. Each have past and present circumstances that make this type of non-relationship ideal, and although the ending may be predictable, this romance trope is a winner for a reason: the journey to the last page is typically filled with plenty of sexy fun.

The Proposal hits the mark with its characters. Jasmine Guillory uses her characters to showcase elements of feminism, diversity, inclusion, and the concept that love doesn't always have to feel like a trap. In my opinion, the writing is dialogue heavy and very easy to read (which may be a positive or negative based on reader preference), and there are appreciated nods to the importance of family and physical health. There's also lots of cupcakes and laughter-inducing rosé wine, but I liked that this book was not just about these two characters and their romance. We also get to meet family and besties and are privy to some great bonding moments.

This was my first reading experience with this author and I liked it overall. The theme of female empowerment runs strong and Guillory writes a believably respectful hero that compliments our heroine well. Overall, a smile-worthy storyline that many readers will likely enjoy.

Access to an advance reader's copy (ARC) of The Proposal was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This generosity did not impact my honesty when rating/reviewing.Source: NetGalleyAuthor: Jasmine GuilloryPublisher: Berkley Publishing GroupGenres: Multicultural Interest, RomancePub Date: October 30, 2018...more

3.5I still haven't read The Wedding Date (the author's previous novel), but I've had it on my radar for awhile. I was looking for an escape read that wouldn't require any heavy thinking and I wanted to hang my detective hat up for a bit. This turned out to be just right!

The premise of a public proposal gone wrong at a Dodgers game was the perfect setting for this cute love story. It sets up a scenario for Carlos who was in the stands observing the whole humiliating scene, to come to Nikole's3.5I still haven't read The Wedding Date (the author's previous novel), but I've had it on my radar for awhile. I was looking for an escape read that wouldn't require any heavy thinking and I wanted to hang my detective hat up for a bit. This turned out to be just right!

The premise of a public proposal gone wrong at a Dodgers game was the perfect setting for this cute love story. It sets up a scenario for Carlos who was in the stands observing the whole humiliating scene, to come to Nikole's rescue. Can you imagine turning down a proposal in such a public way?

Carlos and Nik start hanging out and can't deny their chemistry. While neither one is looking for a serious relationship, they can't seem to stay away from each other. They seemed so perfect for each other.

The characters were diverse and had that neighbor next door feeling. I enjoyed the whole cast. They seemed so normal (especially since I read so many psychological thrillers). Everyone was celebrating friends, family, and good meals.

This book started out strong and halfway through completely fizzled out for me. I really enjoyed this author's debut book The Wedding Date, and at first I thought this one was similar, but by the end it wasn't even in the same ballpark (pun intended).

I love that Berkley is publishing more work by authors of color and books with characters who are persons of color, so I was glad to see this book. I hope Berkley continues to publish books like these because they are needed. The story in 2 stars

This book started out strong and halfway through completely fizzled out for me. I really enjoyed this author's debut book The Wedding Date, and at first I thought this one was similar, but by the end it wasn't even in the same ballpark (pun intended).

I love that Berkley is publishing more work by authors of color and books with characters who are persons of color, so I was glad to see this book. I hope Berkley continues to publish books like these because they are needed. The story in this one just wasn't more me, I wish things had been more fleshed out.

This is my first book by Jasmine Guillory. I heard only great things about her first novel The Wedding Date and was delighted when I was able to pick up her latest book The Proposal.

The Proposal was a quick and easy read.

It was the perfect read for a day at the beach or sitting bundled up on the couch on a rainy day. The novel was sweet and fluffy, a cute little romance with a fun supporting cast. The heroine’s group of girlfriends were hilarious and reminded me of the girls of Sex in t3.5 stars

This is my first book by Jasmine Guillory. I heard only great things about her first novel The Wedding Date and was delighted when I was able to pick up her latest book The Proposal.

The Proposal was a quick and easy read.

It was the perfect read for a day at the beach or sitting bundled up on the couch on a rainy day. The novel was sweet and fluffy, a cute little romance with a fun supporting cast. The heroine’s group of girlfriends were hilarious and reminded me of the girls of Sex in the City. Just a bunch of women having fun and supporting each other unconditionally.

Both main characters, Nik and Carlos were easily likable, and genuinely good people. There wasn’t really anything wrong with either character I just didn’t connect with them on a deeper level. I needed a little more spice, fire and excitement throughout the book and between the couple.

The chemistry between Nik and Carlos was one that took time to catch fire. It felt more like a friends to lovers kind of romance, which worked don’t take me wrong, it just wasn’t wowing. Both characters needed just a little more pep for me to be more deeply invested in their relationship.

The story on its own felt very authentic.

Especially the dialogues felt real, as if they were taken from real life conversations. Also, both characters struggled with real life issues, doubts and pouts of insecurity. Kudos to the author to give this book such an authentic feel.

I believe that the author will go far. Her writing was fleshed out, the dialogues were plenty and she kept the plot flowing. I would recommend this book to anyone that is in search of a sweet and easy beach read.

This might not have been the perfect romance read I was looking for but there were a couple of things I did enjoy. First of all, I always appreciate when a book has a diverse cast of characters. I also really liked the premise of the book which involves a woman at a Dodgers game with her boyfriend and he surprises her with a wedding proposal with everyone in the stadium watching on the Jumbotron. It was very easy to relate to her feeling of horror as I would have hated it if my husband had propoThis might not have been the perfect romance read I was looking for but there were a couple of things I did enjoy. First of all, I always appreciate when a book has a diverse cast of characters. I also really liked the premise of the book which involves a woman at a Dodgers game with her boyfriend and he surprises her with a wedding proposal with everyone in the stadium watching on the Jumbotron. It was very easy to relate to her feeling of horror as I would have hated it if my husband had proposed to me in such a public way.

The rest of the story is a typical romance which I would have enjoyed much more if I felt more invested in the main characters. To me, in the romance genre in order to love a book you really have to root for the characters and feel their chemistry together. I just felt indifferent towards the characters. I'm not really sure why that is the case but it is what it is. I'm sure others will love this book though, especially since it features characters, including Carlos, who were featured in the author's previous book, The Wedding Date.

Thank you to First to Read for the opportunity to read an advance digital copy! I was under no obligation to post a review and all views expressed are my honest opinion....more

This was such an adorable read, I really liked the idea of a woman who isn’t desperately waiting for her boyfriend to propose and Nik most definitely was not prepared to have to turn down her boyfriends proposal in front of the whole world. I can’t think of anything more awkward and embarrassing but it set the stage for a super entertaining and charming read that I breezed through.

One of the strongest aspects to this was how incredibly diverse it was which is always so nice to see! It’s set in LThis was such an adorable read, I really liked the idea of a woman who isn’t desperately waiting for her boyfriend to propose and Nik most definitely was not prepared to have to turn down her boyfriends proposal in front of the whole world. I can’t think of anything more awkward and embarrassing but it set the stage for a super entertaining and charming read that I breezed through.

One of the strongest aspects to this was how incredibly diverse it was which is always so nice to see! It’s set in L. A. which is such a culturally diverse city so it makes so much sense to have such great representation, gotta give the author some props for that. The characters were all fun, relatable types from Nik and Carlos to her friends Dana and Courtney and his family, I really enjoyed all of them.

This was a super sweet romance with a hint of the spicy stuff, nothing super graphic or over the top. It reminded me of sitting down with a bowl of popcorn and watching one of my favorite rom coms, it had that same charm and appeal and was just an all around good time.

4.5 When Oh, So Bad Turns Into Oh, So Great Stars* * * * 1/2 Spoiler Free We have all been there...That situation where we wish the ground would open up and suck you in...only so that you would not be the center of attention and have everyone looking at you. There can be any number of reasons for that type of feeling...a small gathering of friends and something is said that causes an uproar...or your business power point is going along great and then that weird slide pops up making no sense...

O4.5 When Oh, So Bad Turns Into Oh, So Great Stars* * * * 1/2 Spoiler Free We have all been there...That situation where we wish the ground would open up and suck you in...only so that you would not be the center of attention and have everyone looking at you. There can be any number of reasons for that type of feeling...a small gathering of friends and something is said that causes an uproar...or your business power point is going along great and then that weird slide pops up making no sense...

Or

You could be Nikole Paterson, award winning independent journalist, sitting at a Dodger game with her actor boyfriend of five months wishing this game were over so she could be home relaxing on her own. Instead she was pushed to celebrate his birthday with his "Bros" at the game. Nikole has been contemplating as to why she is even with him...and then she remembers she does like the sex...but that is about all. She is deep in her thoughts and scanning her phone when the boyfriend tugs on her arm yelling to look up.

At first Nikole can't figure out what the deal is...then she sees someone is proposing to a Nicole on the JumboTron and immediately wonders why anyone would do that...Only to then see the boyfriend down on one knee Proposing to Her!!!

IS HE NUTS??? Nikole tries to get him to be normal and settle down. She does not want to embarrass him in front of his friends and the world. Her mind is racing because he never even talked to her about these types of feelings and if he had, she would have shut it down. This is not going well and he will not listen to her polite comments... instead he starts to get upset and then storms off, leaving her there.

Nikole cannot believe this is happening and as she sits there pretending she is fine...

Carlos Ibarra and his sister have watched the entire thing from two rows above. They saw how she tried to be gracious and kind and not have it get out of control. They saw how the guy was an asshat and left her. Now Carlos is concerned. He is watching as Nikole is attempting to look ok and not frazzled. But when a camera crew starts to approach, Carlos tells his sister they are going to help her. They go to block the crew and pretend to be friends, whisking her away.

As they get to the parking lot, Nikole turns to thank both of them and says she will get a ride from Uber or Lyft and not to worry about her. Carlos refuses and insists on driving her to the bar where her girlfriends are waiting. Once at the bar, Nikole insists they come in for a drink on her as a thank you.

Nikole is thankful her friends are there. She has a solid set who are the world to her. Each of them know her well and they are like sisters. Nikole starts to re tell the story...how the guy even spelled her name wrong...on that everyone howled.

Carols watched Nikole and thought what an amazing person she was. To have dealt with such an idiot and still be able to laugh with her pals. He liked the way the lights hit her curls and the sparkle of her eyes. He thought she was lovely but at the same time saw flicks of pain. Carlos knew it was time for them to leave when the conversation became a little personal and Nikole would need to just have her crew by her side. Saying goodbye, Carlos and Nikole felt as if they had made a little connection.

When the ladies went to pay their bar and food bill, Nikole discovered Carlos had taken care of it. This gave her the excuse to send an email to thank him.

And that was the beginning of something Oh So Great.

This was a terrific read. It covered so much. It had a multi cultural relationship which was there but then not at all there...It nods to differences yet also just told the universal story of two people working through whether they could love, period. Nikole had issues about love... scared to death of it. Carlos thought he was in the same place but as time progressed, he got hit in the face with his feelings. I love when a guy can be so smitten. What also worked was that they became friends first, then venturing into more.

And Boy Oh Boy...These two knew how to tear it up....Just Sayin' Yum Yum

This was delightful and proved something terrible can happen... but because of that horrible thing...something wonderful can come out of it. I cannot wait to see what Jasmine Guillory comes up with next.

~~~~~ Before Reading ~~~~~Just as Nikole Paterson was trying to figure out how much longer she was stuck at this Dodger game with her sort of boyfriend...He gets the Genius Idea of dropping on one knee and proposing while their faces were plastered all over the Jumbo-tron!

Yup, he turned out to be one of those clueless guys...I mean, he Never acted during the 5 months of their dating he was even that into her...After Nik tries to let him down gently...he leaves her there in the stands alone...

Carlos Ibarra sees this woman a few rows in front of him. When a camera crew starts to approach, Carlos and his sister decide to whisk her away. What starts as a good deed soon becomes something else...and both of them have to thank...

The Proposal- September 4, 2018

A gifted copy was provided by Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley for an honest review.

The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory was a quick read that made me laugh (and cry at times), but unfortunately I just didn't love it.

What it's about: Nikole Paterson goes to a Dodgers game with her boyfriend of 5 months, only to get proposed to on the jumbotron and endure a very public experience of telling him no. Luckily, Carlos Ibarra who is at the game with his sister is sitting just a few rows behind Nik and comes to the rescue; not only getting her out from in front of the camera crew,⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5

The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory was a quick read that made me laugh (and cry at times), but unfortunately I just didn't love it.

What it's about: Nikole Paterson goes to a Dodgers game with her boyfriend of 5 months, only to get proposed to on the jumbotron and endure a very public experience of telling him no. Luckily, Carlos Ibarra who is at the game with his sister is sitting just a few rows behind Nik and comes to the rescue; not only getting her out from in front of the camera crew, but getting her out of the stadium as well. Neither of them are looking for anything serious, but once they get involved in a relationship the future for both of them isn't quite so clear anymore.

I loved the diversity in this novel, but there were not any distinct voices. I felt like any character's words could have been substituted for another and everyone seemed to talk exactly the same including Carlos. On the good side, there was a lot of sarcasm and humor that I loved, and The Proposal did make me laugh quite a bit. There were also a couple of places I teared up, if only for the subject matter and not necessarily the way the book was written. I thought that the idea behind this novel was a great one and had the potential to be much better than it actually turned out, even though it did make me laugh.

Unfortunately, I also found the novel to be quite repetitive in many places, and got sick of hearing the same things over and over again. Also, I think most people will find this book very predictable.

Final Thought: I went into The Proposal with an open mind, and I just don't know if Guillory's writing style is for me. I don't really have any interest in reading her first novel now, but I think it's great that she's been having a lot of success and has been able to publish 2 novels. This book will probably work better for some people, but it just wasn't super great for me. I have seen a lot of people say it might be better for someone first starting with the contemporary romance genre, but that is where I am and it didn't really work for me either. I think this is just a book that you have to check out and decide for yourself....more

When I first saw this book, I was in insta-love with the cover. I honestly didn't even care what the book was about, I just knew I had to read it because I was so in love with the cover. And thank goodness I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC of this book because it was SO GOOD.

Nikole is a character that gives zero shits if you like her or not. She's kind of cold, especially when it comes to men and she's very upfront in general about not wasting

The Proposal is such a sweet and cute read!

When I first saw this book, I was in insta-love with the cover. I honestly didn't even care what the book was about, I just knew I had to read it because I was so in love with the cover. And thank goodness I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC of this book because it was SO GOOD.

Nikole is a character that gives zero shits if you like her or not. She's kind of cold, especially when it comes to men and she's very upfront in general about not wasting her time on people she doesn't care about. I feel like Nikole is a character that people will either love or hate because she can be very stubborn and when she reacts to things sometimes, she can be harsh. Luckily for me, I loved her but even though I loved her she definitely frustrated me a time or two. But I really do love how much she strives to be confident in herself and how she struggles with letting people in because of stuff that's happened to her in the past. Her being cold and stand-offish with people really makes sense and I could understand where she was coming from. I also like that we got to see some character development not only with her but Carlos as well. They learn from their mistakes and they grow as characters which I really enjoy in books.

Carlos is honestly the cutest hero ever. I loved him so much! He's definitely a carer, the one who wants to take care of everyone and protect everyone from harm. He's also someone who shies away from love and relationships but it's not because he's incapable or unwilling to love someone but rather the love he has for his family is his first priority and he won't let anything else get in the way of that. Honestly, the scenes with his family and reading and seeing how much he cares for his family made me so soft. I loved each relationship he had with them and seeing that dynamic on page was so great. I also loved his friendship with Drew and Alexa, two characters from the author's debut novel, that I haven't read yet, but definitely need to move up my TBR because they were awesome.

I loved how Carlos and Nikole's relationship started off as friends and then slowly they begin feeling more for each other. This is a great case of friends-to-lovers, or more accurately friends into friends with benefits into holy crap I'm in love with you lovers. I loved seeing them spend time together and be vulnerable with each other in ways they'd never been with anyone else. It was also super amusing to me that they kept insisting that they just spent so much time with each other because they were "friends". However, this is also where I have my one complaint about the book. I feel like the transition from "friends who are hooking up and having a great time together" to "I want to spend the rest of my life with you" felt a little rushed. I loved seeing them during that time where they clearly had feelings for each other but hadn't realized it and were just enjoying each other's time but I thought that the "I love you" parts came out of left-field (look at me using baseball terminology LOL) and I didn't necessarily feel like they were there yet. Do I think they have feelings for each other? Definitely. But for some reason that didn't translate to love for me. At least not yet. Maybe because they haven't been together long enough? I'm honestly not sure however, I can say that despite feeling like that, I do feel like they will be together forever and I can see them having that HEA and being together long term.

If all the things above haven't made you want to pick this book up yet, here's a list of some great things to love about this book:

🔹A hero who likes to cook

🔹Diversity (both with POC characters and LGBT+ rep who come in all shapes and sizes)

🔹Talks about important topics like death, abusive relationships (verbal, emotional abuse mostly), feminism, and so much more

🔹Girl friendship scenes that are DA BOMB!

Honestly I feel like I could go on and on about how cute and great this book was. I definitely recommend it to fans of Contemporary Romances and I can't wait to check out more from this author!

❝Why does it scare you so much for someone to say they love you?❞She shook her head.❝It doesn’t scare me! I just know from experience that that’s when everything gets bad, that’s all.❞

NIKOLE (NIK) PATERSON is a freelance writer who was proposed to in the grandest scale, only, this wasn't romancing at its finest, it was a horrifyingly embarrassing moment that Nik wished she could get back.

CARLOS IBARRA and his sister, Angela, were at that game and watched that proposal in all its glory on the big

❝Why does it scare you so much for someone to say they love you?❞She shook her head.❝It doesn’t scare me! I just know from experience that that’s when everything gets bad, that’s all.❞

NIKOLE (NIK) PATERSON is a freelance writer who was proposed to in the grandest scale, only, this wasn't romancing at its finest, it was a horrifyingly embarrassing moment that Nik wished she could get back.

CARLOS IBARRA and his sister, Angela, were at that game and watched that proposal in all its glory on the big screen at Dodger Stadium. A fixer at heart, Carlos knew he couldn't leave Nik to the vultures (cameramen) even though he had no idea who she was. Swooping into the rescue, the two accompany Nik out of an unbearable situation and provide her with an exit strategy.

Intent on paying them back, Nik invites them to have some drinks at the bar where she is meeting her girlfriends. By the end of the night, drinks, stories, and laughter are shared. After Carlos and his sister leave, Nik's girlfriends are positive Carlos needs to be her rebound. He's funny, sexy, and obviously a good guy!

Since the death of his father, Carlos has shouldered the responsibility of taking care of the women in his family. He doesn't have time for relationships, nor does he believe any woman would be willing to accept his need to drop everything to help out his family. So a "non-relationship" with Nik is perfect. He enjoys spending time with her, he admires her strength, her kindness and the fact that she doesn't take herself too seriously. A rebound guy? Yea, he can be that! Until he can't.

Even though Nik loves the way Carlos takes care of her and everyone around him, she struggles to put aside the bad relationships she's been in. A rebound guy will be fun, he will be safe, and he won't break her heart. Until he does.

I was thrilled when I found out that Jasmine Guillory was releasing another book. I LOVED "The Wedding Date". Jasmine's writing is captivating. She has me laughing with her sense of humor while leaving a lump in my throat with her thought-provoking dialogue.

"The Proposal" is a funny, heartwarming story about two people who are perfect for each other, but need to learn to believe in love!

I was provided a review copy by the publisher. This did not influence my opinion of the book nor my review.

A sweet and fun novel that is sure to be a hit with fans of the author! I felt myself relating to the characters and loving the banter and situations they found themselves in. Now I am ready to dive into the authors debut, which has been patiently sitting on my bookshelf waiting to be read.

Jasmine Guillory is a graduate of Wellesley College and Stanford Law School. She is a Bay Area native who has towering stacks of books in her living room, a cake recipe for every occasion, and upwards of 50 lipsticks.

Other books in the series

“I’ve spent so long being afraid of love, because the last time I was in love, the man I loved only loved one part of me, but not all of me, and I thought love meant having to sacrifice a part of yourself. But then I was with you, and you loved every part of me, even the parts I don’t like. And that scared me more, because I thought there must be some trick and that I couldn’t let myself believe it or I’d fall into the trap. But finally I realized it wasn’t a trap.”
—
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